A magnificent record-breaking century from Hayley Matthews powered West Indies Women to a historic seven-wicket victory over Australia at Sydney on Monday.
The West Indies Women’s captain smashed 132 from just 64 balls as the West Indies Women, needing 213 for victory, scored 213-3 from 19.5 overs to level the series at a game apiece. Matthews got help from former captain Stafanie Taylor, whose half-century proved crucial in a 174-run second-wicket partnership that put the Caribbean women on course to what seemed an unlikely victory.
No team had ever successfully chased a score over 200 runs against Australia at home.
The 425 runs scored in the match was a world-record for a women’s T20 international.
Coming off an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the West Indies on Sunday, Australia seemed on course for another victory after Ellyse Perry scored 70 from 46 balls and Phoebe Litchfield plundered an unbeaten 52 from just 19, the joint fastest 50 in a T20 international, as the hosts piled up 212-6 from their 20 overs. Georgia Wareham was not out on 32 from 13 as she and Litchfield shared in an Australia T20 record seventh-wicket stand of 66 that propelled the hosts to their challenging total.
Matthews was the best of the West Indies bowlers taking 3-36 from her four overs. She took the wickets of Beth Mooney for 29, the dangerous Tahlia McGrath for four and Annabell Sutherland for 13. Shamilia Connell took 2-35 to support her captain, whose best was yet to come.
West Indies Women lost Shabikia Gajnabi for just one in the third over, paving the way for Stafanie Taylor and Matthews to mount the a stand of 174, the highest partnership for any wicket for the West Indies Women, breaking the previous record of 162 between Matthews and Chadean Nation.
Taylor’s contribution of 59 included 11 fours as she recovered from a slow start to blossom as the partnership grew. When Taylor was bowled by Megan Schutt in the 17th over, Matthews was on 114 and the West Indies needed 28 from the last 18 balls to secure victory.
With the match balanced on a knife’s edge after Annabel Sutherland only conceded three runs from in the 18th over, Matthews swung the match heavily towards in the West Indies’ favour when she struck four consecutive boundaries off the first four balls of the 19th bowled by Jess Jonassen.
The spinner got a measure of revenge when she bowled the West Indies captain, going for a sweep, behind her legs with the West Indies still needing nine to win from seven balls. Matthews’ masterclass that included 20 fours and five sixes, is the highest score ever by a West Indian woman surpassing the 112 made by compatriot Deandra Dottin. Her 100 came off just 53 balls.
It was left to Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbell who each scored four to take the West Indies Women to a memorable victory.
Matthews, who was winning her seventh consecutive T20I Player of the Match award, credited learning more about her game for her incredible consistency. In those seven matches she scored 452 runs including three 50s and a century at an average of 90.40 and a strike rate of 138.22.
"I think I've learned more about myself and my batting. The areas I want to access. It's been working really well for me. The leadership of the team has made me take a lot more responsibility,” said Matthews who was unbeaten on 99 during the first T20I.
She revealed that the team took the lessons learned from the last game that the West Indies lost by eight wickets to their opponents, stating, “Last game we spoke about learning. We came in with the exact same team for that exact reason. Obviously the last game was a bit tough for us with the ball but we backed the bowlers to come back today and we saw from the start they were right on the mark.”
Matthews also welcomed Taylor’s return to form which helped set up the record chase.
“Batting with Stafanie helps a lot and I think she really got into her groove today. To chase down over 200 is something we've never been able to do let alone against the best team in the world. I'm incredibly proud of this squad and hopefully we can keep moving forward."
The teams meet again in the third T20I on Thursday.